A note about print interpolation

Your eye works like a lens on a camera to some degree as it uses light waves and an aperture or iris to determine the light it lets in to your rods and cones and in effect your processor (brain in a person's case).

An image i create for print is displayed on this website. In fact several (1000) of them are. Speaking of Thousands, a megapixel is how we were measuring lens strength on devices that capture and process light into two dimensions.  A  megapixel is 1000 times the length and width of number of rows of pixels, divided by 1000 to bring you back to a reasonable call number like 20megapixels these days.  Thats a really good lens.

Pixels vary by device in SIZE.  This can vary your resolution.  Resolution is complex but we need it to figure out how big we can make our images for print.  1080 used to be one dimension of HD.  It still is but we've moved on.  Retina was a smaller pixel.  4k is more of them.  see how confusing it is if we only size our images for presentation on light giving devices.    

Now when we Print there is ppi or pixels per inch and dpi dots per inch to consider dots per inch is how the printer works.  ppi is dpi only it can vary.  a printer dot varies from a pixel because it is finite.  I would have to imagine pixels are eventually finite in size.  72 ppi is the old typical screen resolution, not meant for print.  Your eye can not detect dpi greater than 200 (in print only). This is why i size at 200 dpi/ppi in photoshop.  

My images are sized for blankets at 200 dpi/ppi.  blankets are not light wave giving devices, but if they were you'd describe them as having big fat pixels.  Blankets and other fabrics are not HD in print interpolation... Therefore, i let some degradation out.  When i size my images three times i am reminding myself how big i can print "a fine detail print". considering the size i work at and my capacity to collect and save my art.  This is between 16x20 and 18x24 depending on my process.  it varies by image.  Most utilitarian objects i am selling are INTerpoled at a rate below those numbers. Most fabrics are a rate above and they get the fat pixel resolution check for my print interpolation processes.   This leaves good old paper out in the dark a bit.   because i dont know how most of my images look at 18x24 because i have 2000 plus of them and have not ordered paper and convas on more than a dozen at that size.  All have turned out much to my amazement. However some may be 16x20 because of the light available, the iso setting on the lens at the time, or the pitiful generation of my ipad.  I am trying .  I want you, my fans, to know what i am doing with this.  There are few standards in Print on everythingland.  I'm doing the absolute best I can and I have not had hardly a thing come back in ten years.  These customers of mine do not quietly except garbage.  Or i wouldn't still be in business.

Thank you for reading.  I hope you learned something today!